District of



Patented Ap1-.24

D. CROWLEY.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(NoModel.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THREE-FOURTHS TO EDWARD W.

OF SAME PLACE.

CREECY AND RALPH WALSH, BOTH FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 276,363, dated 'April24, 1883.

Application led March B, 1583. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DAVID CROWLEY, of 'ashington, in the District ofColumbia, have invented certain Improvements in Fire-Escapes, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to tire-escapes; and it consists in theconstruction and thecombination of parts hereinafter particularldescribed,

'and then sought to be specifically defined by the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a side elevation ofthe escape, and

Figs. 2, 3, and 4, detached views of parts of the device.

Two or more supporting-brackets, A, are built or set into the wall ofthe building, and

are composed of three parts-the bolt B and stay-rods C, all of which areconnected together at the front end by a plate, D, and at the rear endby plates E, which are at angles to each other, so that if one part ofthe 'wall gives way the bracket will beheld to its by the other plate.

The construction `iust described is what I prefer to use; but Ido notcare to be restricted thereto.

From one of the brackets thereare suspended two pulley-blocks, F and Gr,and from the other bracket a single pulley-block, H, and a metal rod orrope, I, to form a track, is extendedA from one bracket to the other, onwhich rod or rope slidesatriple pulley-block,J. This triple block haswithin its sides the pulleys K andL and the pulley M, the latterextending out beyo'nd the other two, and, if desired, a guide pulley orsheave may be connected to the side of the triple block nearest thebuilding.

In .the wall of the building, somewhere near the foot-pavement, andpreferably in a vertical line with the bracket supporting the two pulleys, there is a bracket, O, constructed and held in place like thebrackets A. This bracket O supports a pulley-block, P, the pulley Q ofwhich has serrated edges, or else ratchet-plates secured to the sides,and adonble pawl,1t,pivoted to the block, engages with the teeth of thepulleys.

With the pulley-blocks constructed, applied,

and arranged as described, a rope, S, is secured at one end to the blockH, and passes from thence over the pulley M of the triple place block,thence back and over the pulley in block H, thence over the sheave onthe side of the triple block, and thence over the pulley in block F.,and its end left free to extend downward.

Another rope, T, is connected at one end to the lower part of the tripleblock, and passed from thence around the sheave-pulley U, to the bottomof which is attached a basket or cage, V, thence over the pulley L inthe triple block, thence over the pulley in block G, and thence over oneor more pins around the pulley in block P, and its end left free.

To raise the basket or cage to any desired height, you pull on the ropeT at its free end, the pulley in the blockP turning to discharge itsusual function, and yet being prevented .from turning backward by thepawl R, engaging with the ratchet-teeth, for it' permitted to turnbackward valuable time in raising the ,page would be lost.

When the cage, with its occupant, is to be lowered,\the rope isslackened and. allowed to slip as the cage, by reason ot' its weight,moves downward. The descent is slow and without danger. The pulley isheld rigid by the pawls, and the friction between the pulley andslipping rope keeps the device within absolute control of the operator,no matter if intense excitement does prevail at the time. This featureof checking the revolution of the pulley so as to increase the frictionbetween the pulley and rope is an important feature in my device, andinsures safety in fire-escapes of this kind.

To steady the basket while the same is being lowered, a rope, W, may beconnected with it, which will be held by persons below.

To move the basket or cage from one end to the other ofthe rod or ropeou which thetripple block or its pulley K slides, the rope S is pulled`at its free end until the cage reaches the point desired, and when itis to be moved in the opposite direction the rope S is allowed to feedfrom the hand while the rope T is pulled by Vits free end.

When the cage is to be raised or lowered at a particular point the ropeSis held tant while rope' T is operated.

As many of these escapes as desired may be applied to the front of abuilding, but gener- IDO ally one will answer all purposes; and byextending the rod or rope I from .one end building to the other endbuilding of a row of buildings, the people can be taken from the burningbuilding and safely delivered to the ground at a distance from theburning building, as the lateral adjustment or movement of the cagepermits that to be done.

If desired, a rope or ladder, X, may be suspended from the track bysheaves Y, the sheaves running upon the track and bein g connected tothe triple pulley-block so as to be moved along therewith. The sheavesare connected to the triple pulley-block by plates Z,

which are held to the pulley-block by the bolt on which the upper pulleyin the block turns, as represented by the drawings.

One or more platforms, A', may be connected to the ladder by ropes B onthe side that will be next to the Wall, so that persons may step fromthe windows onto the platforms, and then around onto the rounds of theladder.v

If it is not desired to use the platform, ity

may be folded up against the ladder, and persons descending can stepfrom the round above to the round below it.

The device is comparative-ly cheap of production, very efficient inoperation, and easy of application.

I am aware that it is not new in fire-escapes to move a carriage alonga'horizontal rod by means of a rope connected to one end of thecarriage, then passed over a vpulley at tha-t end of the rod,thencedownward through a pulleyblock suspended by the same rope, thence npwardand over a pulley alongside the first pulley, thence across to and overa pulley at 'the opposite side of the rod, and thence backward andconnected to the other end of the carriage.

Having described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claimis- 1. The combination-of the transverse track,

the pulley-block sliding thereon, the end puland. the ratchet-pulley andpawl for regulating the tension or friction of the rope controlling theraising and lowering of the cage, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

2. The combination of the transverse track, the triple pulley-blocksliding thereon, the

end pulley-blocks, the rope connected with the pulleys at opposite partsof the track and with the triple pulley-block, as set forth, the cage,and the rope for raising and lowering the cage connected with twopulleys, the triple pulleyblock, and with the cage, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

3. The combination of the transverse track,

the triple pulley-block sliding thereon, the.

end pulley-blocks, the pawl-and-ratchet pulley-block, the cage, and thetwo sets of ropes connected with the pulley-blocks and cage to operatethem, as set forth, for the purposes specified.

4. The combination of the transverse track,

and the brackets composed of the three parts connected together attherear by the an gularlyset plates, substantial] y as and for the purposeset forth.

5. The pulley-block J, having within its sides the two pulleys arrangedin a vertical line with each other, and the third pulley in a horizontalline at right angles to the two pulleys, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signedmy name lto this specication in thepresence of twosubscribing witnesses.

DAVID CROWLEY.

lWitnesses JOHN W. SIMS, A. E. HANsMANN.

